George pearce lewis



G. P. LEWIS. COMBINED GAS GENERATOR AND REToRT APPARATUS.

Patented sept.. 26, 1922.

APPLICATION FILED EEB. I3, 1922.

Patented Sept. l26, 1922.

1,430,452 PATENT l OFFICE- GEORGE PEARCE LEWIS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

COMBINED GAS GENERATORANDYRETORT'APPARATUS. f

Application filed February 13,'.1922. Serial No. 536,307.

To all whom t mag/concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE PEARon LEWIS, a subjectof the King of Great Britain, residing in. London, England, have invented certain new and'u'seful Improvements in Combined GasGenerator and vRetort Apparatus, of whichthefollowing is a speci-4V ication. ,Y 'p l Y f f The invention relates. to known apparatus for distilling and gasifying solid carbonaceous matter, such as coal, shales, lignite, peat, wood, etc., lin which the distillation andgasiication is effected ini'acombined retort and generator,the''distillation taking ,place in the retortand producer gas being formed in` the generator. Steam and air are admitted below the grate and a partof the gases'produced in the c generator L-passes upwards through the retort.y The gases from' the .retort, rich in condensible yhydrocarbons and 4containing some ammonia, are led through an oil andammonia recovery .plant before c being used for heating or power purposes.

A portion of the .gasvfrom thegenerator, usually richin ammonia, iis led to an arn- I'noniarecovery plant and after removal of the ammonia may be used 'for heating or power'purposes.Hl j Y In these known apparatusl it hask been usual for the temperature of the retort not to exceed about 600o C., so thatj the distillation of the volatile-fconstituents is not complete `and some of the less vvol'atilefare retained in the coke. v f' .l

O According to the invention the temperature of the retort is progressivelyfraised by the .combustionin lues surrounding the retortof someof the producer gas so thatthe temperature progressively variesfrom about 200 C. in the upper portion of the retort to about .18000 C. in the lower portion and ensures the complete distillation of all ithe volatile constituents.` y

The raw fuel is fed into the retort almost continuously in any yknown or convenient way, ibut, .Y preferably,v underconditions which give a porous charge.

If the fuel is charged with excessive moisture or is capable ofgivinglofl" upon heating objectionable proportions of carbonic acid gases, a long feeder pipe forming anextension of theretorty is employed: in known manner fory the'. purpose of slowly preheating the raw fuels and thusv avoiding troublesome d-isintegration\y by the toorapid expulsion of the watercontent and also for assistlng inthe pre-expulsion of the carbonic acid gas. The feeder pipe is surrounded by a supplementary heating chamber, abranch pipe from the feeder conveying the steam and. carbonic acid gas to the moisture saturated air, to the generator, tothe retort, to the chimney stackv or to apparatus where they. can be used in any suitable manner.

If Athe raw fuel, such as lignites', brown coal, peat, wood, and wood waste and the likeyield on distillation a 'proportion of acidv bodies, .it is advisable to' admiX with the raw material, prior to itsbeingcharged into the retort, a portion up to 5 per cent of lime or the equivalent of other alkaline material in order to improve the quality of the oilvmatter distilled in the retort. On the other hand, when quantity irrespective of quality is the chief consideration, it is somef times advisable to admiX sawdust and like .bodies with certain coals, cannels and the older lignites."

The fiues surrounding the'y retorts are usually heated by the combustion of gases from the recovery plant after the ammonia and hydrocarbons are removed, but when the raw material is very poor in nitrogen it may be advisable to provide for a proportion of the producergases passing directly from the generator to a combustion chamber. Y

The vsetting may be provided with recuperative lues for preheating the secondary air.v The waste gases from the setting or recuperator are preferably used to heat a steam boiler and superheater for the supply of superheated steam tothe generator.

The ldistilled gases fromthe retortwhich are usually very rich in condensible hydrocarbons shouldbe treated by aA process of slow condensation an appropriate form of condenser, arranged to avoid diiiiculties due to thev deposition of wax and other semi-solid matter, or, alternatively, maybe subjected to the action of any suitable mechanical de- ,vice for the abstraction of conde'nsible hydrocarbons and other liquid products and apparatus for the recovery 'ofammonia.

The accompanying drawings represent examples Aof constructions according to the invention. Fig. Il is a part vertical section and en d view of a combined retort 'and generator. Fig. 2 is ia` sectionof the upper part of a retort with long feed pipe and pre- Lheating chamber. Fig. 3 is apart section spiral.y heatinA vided with any convenient form of grate,v preferably With .mechanical meansforfthe removal of ashes, b is a retort, preferably oblong in plan, whereinthe vraw carbonaf ceous matter is protectivelv and progressively distilled; rc is the y'curved jil'netion "tie-y tween the retort and the generator,` c iis a" pipe Aconveying La portion of the gases from the recovery plant tofdistri'buting flues ie which are provided with'y as nozzles and dampers. f 'isi a ooi'nbr'istion chamber, `g"

twastegasfv ues for heating theusecondary air 4intair i 1`1e,5jif` `A. boilerwith steam'fsuperheater j'is` heated bythe Waste'heat lrom the retorts settingand supljliesl steam to the generator "and "retortsi o superheated steam or other gase'sto distribut-` ing"passages cf i 4Part ofthe v'producer gas formed "in the gemratonal passes through an. outlet Zand is used for motive or other lpurposes and vpreheats the moisture-saturated, blast admitted to 'the generator through"a'k pipe o," represents a steam jet blast, inducer' or fan.l

p; t isv the outlet for vthe hytll'ocarfporfl` gases from the retort. v

The dotted vlines in represefrityapas-` Lsage bfthrouhtwhibht a portionof the Gasespr'oduc in the "generator is ledto e distributing ifines e;

Fig. `4 shows a combinedfrilrand geen"l erator iny which the retort fb isinclinedat an "angleof 4,5Ofmtothe vertical genelaiOi throfugh curved junctions Q ',QZ Witha gen lerator .a common to both retortsl An opening e `toi-the discharge of Lcokef yis shownfin the retort fb.

Y y The retort""b2' is shown as provided :withrluesffor prelieating thesecondar'y ain Having thus des@aaai the naar@ of the said inventionl'anfd the lOeS` means Vl' know of carrying the saine into practical effect, I

aan: 'f

i ityapparatts far aiaiinagmagnifying solid 'oarbonaceous matter; :said apparatus comprising incombin'ation archamben'f'the lower portion vof which forms `a Ai'fenerator ,andthe upper; ortioni'a retort7 the axis ,of

the"'genera-tdi eing eccentricto theaxis fines "surrounding vthev retort,l

ipes -cv` Supply i vsolidV earbonaceous matten'sady ap aratus the boilerheated bysaid waste gasessupplyv .ing steam tothe generator'and retort. m130 i of the retortymeansnfor admitting air and steam' to. the generator, av combustion chambersituated close to the lowerportion of the retort, means for the admission of a moisture saturated blast to generator @and means l70 for heating said blast by the/producer gases `generated inf` aand withdrawn from the generator. Y

2; Apparatus for dieitillingV and gasifyingsolid ycarbonaceous matter, said 'apparatus' 75 comprising in combination a chamber the lowerportion of hwhich forms a generator and the `upper portiona retort,the axis of the vgenerator being eccentrioto the axis of the retortfmeansfor admitting air andsteam to the`r`v enerator5 a combustion chamber 'situated c ose to the lower portion of the retort.` spiral flues surrounding the retort traversed bythe-products of combustion in said Icom,- bastion chamber and means for admittin some ofthe gases from the ygenerator 't0'l Vsai combustion chamber after removal ofithe ammonia contained in said gases.` s i Apparatus for distill-ing and gasifying comprising inoombination a cham er the lower ortion of which forms a generator 'and it e e upper portion of a rretort, the Paxis of the generator being Leooentrc tothe axis ofl the retort,` me'ans for admitting air `andl steamfto the generator, iacombustion ehamberfsituated close "to the lower portion ofthe retoru'flues I surroundin thel retort traversed by the productso Combustion in said combustion '10 Chamber and means for admitting some of asesfrom the generator'to said coin'- bustion ehamberafter removal ofthe am m'onia contained in said"gase`s, other fines y external to* and eloselyfalja'ent to vii1"st`105 mentioned? finesl and traversed yby secondary Vair-,and a third'setoffflues traversed 'by the w'ast'egases heating said seeondary air'gf' 1 4.1Apparatus for distil'ling and gasi'fyn'g solid oarbonaceous matter,` said apparatus v110 oomp'risingin combination a" chamber, ithe lower port1on` of"whieh forms a generator the )generator Abeing eeoentric' toY the axis ef ifthe'retort, meansv for `admitting` airl `and 115 n steam tothe enerator, a combustion eham' "ber situated" close" to thel lower portion of the retort, flues surrounding the retort travi ersed by the products of combustion in 'said combustion ehamber Vand means vfor `a'd- :120.

mitting some of the ases yfrom `,the generator to said 'oom ustion lchamber after removal `of "the, "ammonial nonain' y'a thirdgfsetj ofI flues traversed lby the waste gases rheatingsaid' secondary air, and

5. Apparatus for distilling and gasifying solid carbonaceous matter, said apparatus comprising in combination a chamber, the lower portion of which forms a generator and the upper portion a retort, the aXis of the generator being eccentric to the axis of the retort, means for admitting air and steam to the generator, a combustion chamber situated close to the lower portion of the retort, lues surrounding the retort traversed by the products of combustion in said combustion chamber and means for admitting some of the gases from the generator to said combustion chamber after removal of the ammonia contained in said gases, other flues external to and closely adjacent to rst-mentioned fiues and traversed by secondary air, a thirdset of lues traversed vby the waste gases heating said secondary air, and a boiler and superheater heated by said waste gases supplying steam to the generator and retort.

6. Apparatus for distilling and gasifying solid carbonaceous matter comprising in combination a substantially vertically arranged chamber, the lower portion of which forms the generator and the upper portion the retort, means for admitting air and steam to the generator, a combustion chamber adjacent to the lower portion of the retort, flues surrounding the retort and traversed by the products of combustion in said combustion chamber, a feed pipe for admitting the carbonaceous matter into the top of the retort, a preheating chamber surrounding said pipe and means for removing ripemoisture and deleterious gases from said 7. Apparatus for distilling and gasifying solid carbonaceous matter, said apparatus comprising twin vertical retort chambers, a

vertical generator chamber connected to each of said retort chambers by a curved junction, means for supplying the generator with a preheated moisture saturated blast and means for the removal for power purposes of the producer gases generated in the generator.

8. Apparatus for distilling and gasifying solid carbonaceous matter comprising in combination a substantially vertically arranged chamber, the lower portion of which forms the generator and the upper portion the retort, means for admitting air and steam to the generator, a combustion chamber'surrounding the lower portion of the retort, means for admitting part of the gases produced in the generator to said combustion chamber, fines surrounding the retort and traversed by the products of combustion in said combustion chamber, a feed pipe for admitting the carbonaceous matter into the top of the retort, a preheating chamber surrounding said pipe and means for removing moisture and deleterious gases from said pipe.

In testimony where of I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE PEARCE LEWIS.

Witness:

' T. J. OBMAN. 

